"Gather around, my friends, and listen to my story, for it has been a long and arduous day. I have seen a friend put to death on the cross. He committed no crime but spoke of love, peace, and joy. I, Paulus, have heard Him speak many times. His words of grace affected thousands." 

The miracles He performed before many were quickly forgotten underneath the cruel fists of the Pharisees. They came like cowards in the middle of the night with clubs and swords to arrest this Man of peace. After a false trial, the Pharisees sent Him to Pilate for execution, for the Jews had no power to complete the sentence.

With the rising sun, I entered the story as a bystander - a minor official who works at the Governor's mansion. Before entering, I noticed the day's color was changing. An evil black mist engulfed the entire palace and many parts of the city, chasing away the brilliant colors of the day. There were no longer the glorious Roman red and gold colors. Only tattered browns and bronze remain. I've only seen this once before, when King Herod ordered the deaths of the young males in Bethlehem some thirty years ago.

When I arrived, Yeshua (Jesus) stood peacefully alone against a wall, arms shackled in front, while His eyes absorbed everything happening. I started toward Him, but He nodded his head no, though His smile was wide. A thought appeared in my mind. "Paulus, I need to see this process though." 

My soul was quaking when I said, "Yes, my Lord." I knew I could defend Him, but I heard Yeshua saying these things would happen to His apostles. They never understood. I'm beginning to now.

Governor Pilate entered the room in his royal splendor, tarnished by the mist and flanked by two Praetorium Guards. I bowed when he passed, and he nodded at my presence. He now stood before Yeshua. They talked about many things for an hour, of kingdoms on earth and kingdoms above. I saw the fascination Pilate had for my Lord. He had sensed His divinity. When he asked Yeshua, "What is truth?" He only smiled. Pilate knew Yeshua was the truth the Governor spoke of. 

Then, he sent Yeshua to be tortured in the dungeon. The guards denied me entrance through the door. The Roman scourging is inhumane, receiving thirty-nine lashes from a Cat-O-Nine Tails. Some people never survive it.

I stood behind the Governor when he reappeared before the raging mob at the judge's seat known as the Stone Pavement. Beside him was a beaten and bloody Yeshua, dressed in a dark purple robe and a crown of thorns upon His head. Seeing the blood drip from under His robe, I noticed the color was not red but black in the mist. Pilate found no charge against Him, but the crowd never stopped shouting, "Crucify him!" 

Fearing a riot from the bloodthirsty mob, Pilate offered the revolutionary Bar-Abba to the crowd in one final attempt to save Yeshua. The crowd stubbornly refused and demanded Bar-Abba's release. The mist thickened when Pilate washed his white hands of the matter. He looked into Yeshua's loving eyes for the last time and sorrowfully walked away.

I thought Ben-Elohim, the Son of God, was to be sacrificed instead of Bar-Abba, the Son of the Father. How ironic.

The crowd along the way to Golgotha was a fanatic lot. Some were weeping, but the rest of the crowd was caught in Satan's grasp, shouting evil with every word. I crept through the crowd, noticing the enraged, blackened faces through the mist. I thought to myself, why am I the only friend of Yeshua here? Where are His disciples? Then, I remembered Yeshua saying they would all fall away.

Near the place of death, Yeshua stumbled but caught Himself with the cross beam. After several painful lashes from a Roman whip, He steadied Himself against the heavy load and continued up the hill.

The process of nailing a man to a cross was quickly done. The Romans have it down to an art form. I saw the blood spew when the sharp nails penetrated His arms and legs. Yeshua's cry of anguish echoed through the air. They stood the cross up for all to see the cruel butchery of the Romans. Yet, Yeshua said, "Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do."

Yeshua's blackened blood began to pool on the ground beneath His feet, where they gambled for His few clothes. He glanced my way for a moment with a hint of a smile. I knew the tears I shed were not in vain.

The dark mist has gathered around the hill, making the sign above Yeshua's head difficult to read. It states Yeshua Ha-Natzrati (Jesus of Nazareth), The King of the Jews. They never understood who He was.

After hours of mocking by the Pharisees, Romans, and many others, I heard Him say to His Mother, "Woman, behold your Son."

Yeshua looked at a Roman soldier and said, "I thirst."

They offered Him some sour wine in a sponge, and He tasted it, saying, "Tetelestai (It is finished)."

I fell to my knees, sobbing. The death of my friend, teacher, and Lord brought extreme sorrow to all the land. For now, even the sky weeps. Lightning flashed, and the thunder of God exploded across the city. The evil black mist starts to diminish with the crowd. I heard a Roman Centurian shout, "This indeed was the Son of God."

"I, Paulus, saw these incredible things take place, how the jealous Pharisees used the evil Romans to put to death an innocent man who only had love for us all. He told us of a place called heaven where He was building mansions for those who believed. Let us all pray that Yeshua will rise again as He said and lead all to that promised land. For He was not only my dear friend but Immanuel, God with us."